Sporty’s Beef & Brew; Everett, WA – Sporty’s 2010 Dog Fight

By Ty Hughes

Forty dart players signed up to play in Sporty’s annual New Year’s Day Dog Fight last month. Chris Mackie, Sporty’s Coordinator, though a bit tired from a long night of partying to mark the start of a brand new year, was there in body and spirit, but his mind was still at home on his pillow.

Sporty’s Dog Fight has become almost synonymous with Jim and Teresa Hestkind’s big blowout New Year’s Eve party every year. Players make a tradition of ransacking their home all night long, dragging themselves to life for a high-protein and carb breakfast before heading off to Sporty’s for more beer and some serious darts!

Charlie Brown was sportin’ his favorite misspelled Mexican tequila shirt, teasing his friend Rich about hitting puberty at age eleven! Dad was chillin’ with Frankie and friends after celebrating another birthday just a couple weeks earlier.

Even Jack, co-owner of the bar, was shooting in the tournament all bright eyed and bushy tailed. He had a fresh crop of hair sprouting on his dome after he and his friends honored a recently deceased friend and fellow dart player, Adam Hansen, who met an untimely end due to, of all things, the Swine Flu. Adam had a twin brother and was enshrined at Sporty’s when they officially dedicated their dart room to Adam and his memory.

Dog Fight dart players enjoy a full menu of incredibly good food, a huge 10-foot big screen with the football game du jour looming large over a bevy of tables and chairs for lounging. The players also enjoy a dedicated server, didn’t catch her name, but she goes above and beyond to keep all the guys happy and content. They really appreciate her efforts and maintains a strong friendship with many of these guys. Needless to say, the service is impeccable.

I stuck around long enough to watch some serious butt-whoopin’ on the boards, including Ken Marshall and his partner stickin’ it to who else but Todd and Brian on board one! Way to Ken… and your partner.

Even though the turnout was down from last year, Sporty’s has become well-known around the darting world as the place to spend your New Year’s Day for darts in the northend and beyond. Make it a point to join Mackie and the guys for next year’s big Dog Fight, and bring some Tylenol, Tums and Visine please!